UncertEx: Currency Converter with Uncertainty

UncertEx is a command-line application that performs currency conversion while accounting for uncertainty in the exchange rate. It uses the Signaloid Cloud Engine API to perform underlying computations in the cloud.

Features

• Convert between currencies with a specified range for the exchange rate
• Utilize Signaloid's uncertainty-aware computing capabilities
• Display statistical information about the distribution of the converted value
• Option to output results in JSON format

Understanding Currency Conversion with Rate Ranges

UncertEx uses a range of exchange rates rather than a single fixed rate. Here's why this approach is valuable:

1. Acknowledging Uncertainty: Exchange rates fluctuate due to various economic and political factors. Using a range accounts for this variability.

2. Realistic Planning: Whether for travel, business, or financial analysis, considering a range of possible rates provides a more comprehensive view of potential outcomes.

3. Risk Assessment: This approach helps in understanding the potential variability in the value of your money when converted, allowing for better risk management.

4. Practical Applications:

   • Financial Planning: Businesses can budget for best and worst-case scenarios in international deals.
   • Travel Budgeting: Travelers can estimate a range for their budget in a foreign currency.
   • Economic Analysis: Analysts can model potential outcomes in international trade or investments.

5. Example: Converting £1000 to EUR

   • Fixed rate: Might give you exactly €1180
   • Range approach: Might show your £1000 could be worth between €1150 to €1200, depending on rate fluctuations

By using UncertEx, you gain insights into not just a single conversion value, but a distribution of possible values, helping you make more informed decisions in situations involving different currencies.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7 or higher
• A Signaloid API key

Installation

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/iamramtin/uncertex.git
   cd uncertex
   

2. Install the required Python packages:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

3. Set up your Signaloid API Key and Signaloid Core ID as environment variables:

   export SIGNALOID_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"
   export SIGNALOID_CORE_ID="your_core_id_here"
   

Usage

Run the script with the following command:

python uncertex.py <amount> [options]

Options:

• -f, --from: Source currency (default: GBP)
• -t, --to: Target currency (default: EUR)
• --min-rate: Minimum conversion rate (default: 1.15)
• --max-rate: Maximum conversion rate (default: 1.20)
• --json: Output results as JSON

Examples:

1. Basic usage:

   python uncertex.py 100 --from GBP --to EUR --min-rate 1.15 --max-rate 1.20
   

2. Output results as JSON:

   python uncertex.py 100 --from GBP --to EUR --min-rate 1.15 --max-rate 1.20 --json
   

Output

By default, the application will display:

• The input amount and currencies
• The average conversion rate and result
• Statistical information about the distribution of the converted value, including:
  • Mean
  • Median
  • Standard Deviation
  • Minimum and Maximum values
  • 10th, 25th, 75th, and 90th percentiles

When the --json option is used, the output will be a JSON object containing all of the above information in a structured format.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Signaloid for providing the Cloud Engine API for uncertainty-aware computing